Camellia plant named ‘Green 99-006’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘Green 99-006’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; relatively long flowering period; and double white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Camellia sasanqua.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Green 99-006’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Green 99-006’.

The new Camellia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fairhope, Ala. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely flowering Camellia cultivars having unique and attractive flower color and flower for an extended period of time.

The new Camellia originated from an open-pollination in 1998, in Fairhope, Ala., of Camellia sasanqua ‘Mine-No-Yuki’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Camellia sasanqua, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Camellia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Fairhope, Ala. in November, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fairhope, Ala. since August, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Green 99-006’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Green 99-006’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively long flowering period.     -   6. Double white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Mine-No-Yuki’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia are more upright than and not as         spreading and open as plants of ‘Mine-No-Yuki’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Mine-No-Yuki’.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Mine-No-Yuki’.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia sasanqua ‘Snow Flurry’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fairhope, Ala., plants of the new Camellia differed from plants of the ‘Snow Flurry’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia were more upright than and not as         spreading and open as plants of ‘Snow Flurry’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Snow Flurry’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Green 99-006’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower and flower buds of ‘Green 99-006’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Fairhope, Ala. in containers in an outdoor nursery during the autumn and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures averaged 7° C. Plants were grown under 30% polypropylene shadecloth. Plants used for the photographs were eight years from planting, and plants used for the description were 30 months from planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia sasanqua ‘Green 99-006’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Camellia sasanqua ‘Mine-No-Yuki’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Camellia             sasanqua, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two months at             temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three months at             temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             months at temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; close to 161C in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen shrub;             upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth             habit. Densely foliated; compact, dense and bushy plants.             Freely flowering habit with numerous double flowers per             plant.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 24 to 30             lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 61 cm to             71 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm to             7.5 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 197A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 3.8 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Initially             close to 152A becoming closer to 146A with development.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 139D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 139C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to             144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia             typically flower from mid-November through January in             Fairhope, Ala. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly             at terminals with usually about six to eight flowers and             flower buds per apex; freely flowering habit. Flowers face             upward or outward. Flowers rotate and rose-like; double             flower form with numerous petals and petaloids per flower.             Flowers sessile.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about one week on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slight; sweet.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to NN155A.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Arrangement: Double flower form; about 20             to 46 petals and petaloids arranged in multiple whorls.             Length: About 1.5 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm.             Shape: Obcordate to obovate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Obtuse to             acuminate. Margin: Entire or irregularly lobed. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to NN155D. When opening, lower             surface: Close to NN155D; faintly tinted with close to 69C.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About six fused in a single whorl.             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Orbicular.             Apex: Retuse. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Tomentose. Color,             upper surface: Close to 165B. Color, lower surface: Close to             N167A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             four. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to             2D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per flower:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length:             About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close             to 4D.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 1.25 cm.             Color: Close to N200A.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color:             Close to N200A. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Camellia have been     observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and to tolerate     temperatures from about −23° C. to about 49° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have been observed to be resistant     to Glomerella cingulata. Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to     Camellias. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘Green 99-006’ as illustrated and described. 